Pig Disease Treatment – A Comprehensive Guide for Farmers

Treatment Protocols for Growing and Finishing Pigs

Growing and finishing pigs face a number of health challenges as they grow to market weight. Economic losses during this period can be significant, so appropriate treatment protocols are important to maintaining profitability.

Control of Swine Dysentery

Porcine dysentery, caused by the bacterium Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, remains a major concern for growing and finishing pig farms. The disease affects the large intestine, causing severe diarrhoea, dehydration and weight loss. Clinical signs include mucus or blood in the feces, often accompanied by severe weight loss.

The economic impact can be significant—if left untreated, the disease can reduce the feed conversion ratio (FCR) by 0.05 to 0.2, extending the time to market by up to three weeks.

Treatments typically include:

• Selective antibiotic therapy based on sensitivity testing results.

• Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the barn.

• Strict rodent control, as infected rats can be a source of infection.

Elimination of the disease Swine dysentery, while difficult, can be controlled through a number of methods.

The “medicate-move-medicate-move” method has proven effective on many farms. This technique involves treating pigs with antibiotics while simultaneously cleaning up the manure, then moving the pigs to a clean area and continuing treatment. Timing is important—elimination efforts are often most successful in the warm season, when the bacteria are less resistant.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Treatment of Respiratory Disease Complex

Respiratory disease is one of the biggest concerns facing the swine industry today. In growing-finishing pigs, the disease often manifests as porcine respiratory disease syndrome (PRDC), which is often associated with multiple pathogens.

The economic impact of the disease is severe—each 10% of lung area affected by pneumonia can reduce daily weight gain by 22–37 g.

Effective treatment requires accurate diagnosis of the pathogens involved. Common viral agents include PRRSV, swine influenza virus, and PCV2 circovirus, while common bacteria include Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Haemophilus parasuis, and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

Early identification of sick pigs (sick pigs) is important for timely intervention. Recording cough frequency can be an effective monitoring tool, with a strong correlation between cough frequency and pneumonia rates. Increased respiratory rate, especially deep chest movements or shallow abdominal breathing, also warrants immediate attention.

>>> See more solutions to prevent respiratory diseases through environmental treatment using Orgaic Carbon

Treatment regimens often combine:

1. Inject antibiotics for seriously ill individuals.

2. Use antibiotics through drinking water or feed to treat the entire group.

3. Improve the barn environment to improve air quality.

The selection of appropriate antibiotics is based on sensitivity testing, however vaccine prevention is also very important. Common vaccines target Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, PRRS and PCV2.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Control of Parasitic Infections

Parasitic infections remain common in growing-finishing pigs, but the extent of the impact depends on the management system. Common intestinal worms include:

• Ascaris suum (roundworm).

• Oesophagostomum spp. (colon worms).

• Trichuris suis (whipworm).

Infection rates are often related to housing systems:

• 76.8% of farms with pigs exposed to outdoor environments practice regular deworming.
• Only 44.6% of farms with pigs housed entirely indoors practice deworming.

Treatment typically includes programs Strategic deworming:

• Fenbendazole is the most common deworming drug for pigs at this stage, usually mixed into the feed.
• The duration of use of the drug depends on the level of worm infection in the farm. In farms with high levels of infection, deworming should be done when the pigs reach 40-50 kg  and can be repeated when the pigs reach 70-80 kg to ensure effective protection.

External parasites, mainly Sarcoptes mange and pig lice, also need to be controlled during this stage. Treatment regimens typically use ivermectin, administered subcutaneously or mixed into feed.

In summary, proper parasite control improves feed conversion and growth rates, resulting in higher profits due to shorter time to market.